Shop Fitting Guide

Trying Shoes On

You're in a shop, you've found a few options, but there's no experienced climber on hand to help you check the fit. Here are three things you can test yourself.

The Toebox

Press down gently on top of the shoe over your toe knuckles — the bumps your toes make through the material. You're feeling for whether your toes fill that space, and whether there's any pain.

✓ GoodFirm resistance with no pain — the shoe is right up against your toes, with no empty space above them.

✗ Too smallPressing causes pain — your toes are being forced against the top of the shoe harder than they should be.

✗ Too bigThe material gives and squishes down — your toes aren't filling the toebox. The shoe is too large.

Heel Aggression

Fasten the shoe fully, then pay attention to how your heel feels — specifically your Achilles tendon at the back.

✗ Too aggressiveYour Achilles aches or feels pinched. The heel cup is digging in more than your foot can handle — this won't improve with wear.

Also check: heel retention

With the shoe fastened, try pulling your heel back and up — as if you were stepping out of a clog. How much effort does it take?

✗ Too looseYour heel lifts away from the shoe easily. The heel cup isn't gripping — you'll lose power on steep terrain and heel hooks won't work.

Heel Width

With the shoe off your foot, pinch the heel cup firmly from both sides — squeeze the left and right walls of the heel toward each other. Feel for how much the material moves.

✓ GoodSlight resistance — a small amount of give is fine. The shoe should hold its shape around your heel.

✗ Too wideThe walls collapse together easily. A wide heel box won't hold your heel securely — look for a narrower heel model.

Not sure which shoes to try on first? The Rocksy shoe quiz will point you toward models that match your foot shape and climbing style.

Find Your Shoe →